


Sparks or Nothing

by Authormitchel



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Getting Together, M/M, bond, curse, different dates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-20
Updated: 2017-09-20
Packaged: 2018-12-31 23:18:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12143283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Authormitchel/pseuds/Authormitchel
Summary: Severus is cursed. Find someone to love and someone to love him in the next year or die, but how can he fall in love with anyone else when it's only ever been Harry?





	Sparks or Nothing

**Author's Note:**

  * For [drwritermom](https://archiveofourown.org/users/drwritermom/gifts).



> Thank you guys so much for reading and comments and leaving kudos I appreciate it so much. I love this community. I want to dedicate this to drwritermom, because I always see you leaving comments on my stuff, but also other Snarry works and I think that's brilliant. You can follow me on tumblr at Thinkmyhappythoughts or on Twitter @ Mitchel_chelsea. And Jo, If you're reading this, call me I've got an idea.

Severus never thought he’d be here, on a dinner date with Neville Longbottom, but here he was. It would be Snape’s luck that his soulmate would be the most unsuitable person in the world so, he had started his “dates” with Longbottom. If fate was going to crush him then him being forced to become Mr. Severus Longbottom was about as good as it could do. After making the traditional call in the form of a letter, Longbottom accepted his invitation. 

Nearly everyone in the wizarding world knew of his little predicament. There were no such things as secrets within the walls of Hogwarts. He might not have worked there any longer, but his friendship with Minerva assured that his secret wasn’t a secret for long. And since Minerva was one of the brightest, most powerful witches he knew, he had no choice. With Dumbledore in the grave, if he was going to stand a chance, he had to go to her. Unfortunately, even after meeting with her, Flitwick, Madam Pomfrey and Pince, Severus drew the line at Hagrid, the only answer they could give him was that there was nothing he could do. If he couldn’t have someone tell him they love him and mean it then Severus would die within a year. 

That’s how he found himself here, facing a spaghetti stained Longbottom in a muggle Italian restaurant wishing with all his might he could turn Longbottom into the beast he ate like and promptly drop him off at the nearest shelter so he could get on with his night. 

“So,” said Neville. “What do you like to do?” Snape fought to keep his eyes forward. If he let them roll one more time Severus was sure he would need an expert to put them right again. “Well, I am a potion’s master, Longbottom.”

“Right,” answered the boy, dipping a breadstick in some marinara. “That’s your job, but what else do you enjoy?” 

Severus gave him a blank look. “What do you mean?” he asked him. “Well, you know,” answered Neville. “Like Quidditch or football, is there a book you’re reading rig….”

“A research paper on the uses off Asphodel is my current enjoyment,” replied Snape. 

“Interesting,” replied Neville. “What’s it about?”

Snape sighed. “I realize you were not the best potion’s student, but surely you understand Basic English.” Then, the spaghetti sauce seemed to migrate to his cheeks as Snape continued. 

“It is about the uses of Asphodel in potions.” 

“Right,” Neville nodded nervously. “And, uh, what is Asphodel used for?”

That was it. Goodbye, eyesight. Hello, the back of his skull. 

 

Snape apparated home in a huff. 

“Didn’t go well?” 

Snape turned on his heels. “Potter!” he exclaimed. “I didn’t know you’d be lurking about.” 

“Of course,” replied Harry off handedly making himself comfortable on Snape’s couch. “I just had to hear about your date. I used your spare key by the way.” 

“Obviously,” replied Snape, taking his traveling cloak and hanging it up. Ever since the end of the second wizarding war Potter had become a permanent thorn in Snape’s side. After he was transported to St. Mungo’s, 

Potter had refused to leave his side and when he came begging for a position of cashier in Snape’s potion shop, Snape hadn’t turned him away.   
And Snape said that it was because of the business Potter brought with him or that he seemed aimless after leaving the aurors, but though he would never tell anyone, he kept Potter around like a stray dog because it was nice to have someone to talk to. 

It was nice to have another presence, a real presence in his life, where he had lived the past few years with only psychos and ghosts.   
In truth, it was just nice to have Harry around. And while Snape still considered Harry to be every bit the dunderhead that he always had been, he was also funny and charming and loyal and was a good person to talk to, and he listened. Something poor Longbottom had obviously failed to master with his time on this planet. 

“It was horrendous, and I reek of pepperoni and Neville Longbottom’s attentions.” Harry’s eyebrows furrowed. 

“You guys…”asked Harry. “What?” exclaimed Snape. “Potter, absolutely not!” 

He must have made a face because Potter chortled with delight at Snape’s discomfort. 

“I would not touch Longbottom if he were the last man on the planet.”

“Then, why did you go out with him?” 

Snape stared at the chosen one who was currently lounging on is couch, legs over the arm, staring up at him with eyes full of glee. “Potter, are you aware or not of the current predicament that I’m in?”

“Of course,” replied Harry. “,but I don’t know why you’re so worried, I’m sure you’ll find someone.”

Snape rolled his eyes. 

“Come on, Severus, you have a year, be optimistic. The curse said you just had to find someone to love…”

“And someone to love me back,” finished Snape. “Don’t forget that little fact, Potter, and in case you haven’t noticed I’m not likely to be winning Witch Weekly’s best smile award, am I?” 

Snape was no fool. He knew what he looked like. He was tall and skinny, pale and hard looking. His hair was greasy, and his nose was too large. He was over forty and wrinkled and had too many scars to count.

He was ugly. 

He knew it, everyone with a pair of eyes knew it. He had to take what he could get, and if he could get Longbottom to fall in love with him then that would have to be enough. 

“Yes, but could you actually fall in love with Neville?” asked Harry. “I mean you two have absolutely nothing in common.”

“Yes, we do,” said Snape. “We both had ugly duckling phases. Though, Longbottom grew out of his while mine grew with me.” 

“Bu…” Harry went to interrupt. 

“More over…” Snape continued. “Longbottom is a war hero with a respect…”

“You’re a war hero, too,” interrupted Harry once again and Severus really didn’t know how he dealt with the brat. 

“Yes, but Longbottom is a proper hero who waves at puppies and kisses crinkly babies.”

“But I don’t do any of that crap,” said Harry. 

“Yes, Potter, but you are a powerful wizard and were once a serious auror and don’t think I haven’t seen you kiss a baby. You slobber over one all the time.”

“Hey,” said Harry. “Rosie doesn’t count. She’s my goddaughter. My job is to spoil her with love.”

Snape only nodded. He moved into the kitchen, turning on the kettle. His hand shook slightly, but he ignored it. No, Snape thought, the curse’s effect shouldn’t be showing itself this early. It was only in his head. Harry   
followed him into the kitchen like he knew he would. 

“You never answered my question,” said Harry. “What question, Potter?” Harry laughed lightly, taking the cup Snape offered him. “Do you think you could ever love Neville.” Snape didn’t need to think, love was something you knew. 

“No,” he said and didn’t miss what Snape thought looked like an “I thought so” expression flash across Harry’s face. 

“So, what do you think you would like? Who is the kind of man that Severus Snape could fall in love with?”

Snape considered it for a moment, but what could he say really. The only person Severus had ever come close to loving was standing right in front of him, but he couldn’t say that. Harry was out of his stratosphere and if he hoped to survive this, he had to search for someone who had the slightest chance would love him back. And Severus knew Harry never would. 

“I don’t know,” started Snape. “Someone strong and someone who can hold a conversation without getting spaghetti in his hair. Someone who can be both companion and lover.”

Harry nodded. 

“And appearance?” he asked. 

“Potter, I have no cause to be picky in that area as I’ve told you only about a million times.” 

Harry stood, placing his cup in the sink before walking over to stand in front of Snape. 

“Severus, you don’t give yourself enough credit. You’ve got that whole tall, dark, mysterious thing going on.” 

Severus scoffed. “I see you left handsome out of that.”

“It was implied,” replied Harry. “You don’t see yourself the way you truly are.”

Severus nearly took a step back, the intensity in Harry’s eyes too much. It looked almost like want, but Severus squashed that thought down. It didn’t do to dwell on fantasy and while he knew how much love he could give to Harry, Severus knew that it would never happen. He knew he would never get the chance. Requited love is only for the beautiful and despite Harry’s kind words Severus knew that he was not that, never that. 

&&&

“So, are we just going to ignore the fact that I cursed your ear off?” George Weasley spit his drink out of his mouth and Severus guessed out his nose as well. George hastily wiped himself off before cackling loudly. 

“Yeah,” he answered finally. “I thought that’s what we had agreed to, just you know, silently.” 

“That’s what we were doing?” asked Severus. 

“Well, I agreed to go out with you, didn’t I?” Severus shrugged. It was true. 

After agreeing to go to one of the many birthday celebrations for one of the hordes of Weasley children, Harry had left him alone with George. And while things were strained in the beginning, soon George and Severus were talking about George’s new products. Or more like George was discussing new products and Severus was poking hole in his ideas. It was really quite fun. 

Harry had insisted that he come out, sighting that he wasn’t very well going to find someone sitting in his flat. After a while, he acquiesced. Good thing too because Severus found the middle Weasley not to be as intolerable as he thought. So, when George offered up his assistance with Severus’ problem, Severus said yes.

Harry didn’t seem to mind. And if he did, he kept his mouth shut about it. So, maybe in Harry’s eyes George Weasley was at least one step up from Longbottom. At least, he and George had seemed to have one thing in common, inventing. 

Severus like to invent and play with new potions and theory while George was excellent in charms and spell manipulation. 

George picked Severus up on time and dressed very smart, casual but orderly. His red hair was slicked back instead of sticking up all over his head. It reminded Severus strongly of Harry, but Severus pushed those thoughts aside. How could he possibly fall in love with someone else when Harry was right there taking up so much of his consciousness? No, Severus thought, he just needed to focus on George. 

At first, he thought George had made a gross oversight with his date idea. Severus at a carnival, but consigning themselves just to the games and various food booths, Severus found that he didn’t mind it as much as he first did. Muggle carnivals were actually quite fun, and when George broached the idea of getting together a wizarding version, Severus thought that was brilliant and instantly started brainstorming ideas with his surprisingly pleasant date.

But something just didn’t feel right. 

After a pretty intense quick fire brainstorm session their conversation started to putter out. There were to many awkward pauses and forced questions to try and jumpstart their conversation. There just wasn’t any spark. 

So, at the end of the night when they went to say goodbye neither went in for a kiss and there was another silent agreement made between the two, this time, that there would be no second date. 

Afterward, Severus had went to Harry’s. He knew it was a bad idea. Seeing the boy wasn’t going to help him get over him, but the simple fact was that Harry was his best friend. And outside of Minerva and a few others, one of his only. 

So, after his date Severus had only one real desire, to talk to his friend. Harry had welcomed him into his home without a question, allowing Severus to get comfortable in his spot on Harry’s couch before he asked him how it went. 

“For such an interesting looking man with an exciting family and profession, he was amazingly boring.”

Harry snorted into his tea. 

“Yeah, well, maybe it just takes a time or two for him to warm up.” 

“Potter,” Snape scoffed. “I want a lover not a microwave dinner.” 

“Huh,” said Harry. “So, sparks or nothing?” 

“Sparks or nothing,” Severus answered in the affirmative. “But, Severus, you can’t expect to like everyone at first meeting.”

“Not like, Potter, but some emotion, like, love, lust, even hate would do, but I should feel something,” reasoned Severus. 

“Like we did,” Harry ventured. “You sure did hate me, and don’t deny it.”

Severus smiled lightly. They had, had this conversation countless times before, but Harry still liked to rub it in that he had won Severus over in the end. 

“Well, you were a brash, hard-headed Gryffindor.”

“Yeah,” answered Harry. “and you were a Slytherin bastard.”

“Poetry incarnate, you are Potter,” replied Snape. 

“Bite me,” Harry snapped playfully, and Snape hated how that phrase went straight to his cock. Well, at least he was no longer thinking about Mr. Weasley. 

“Say, why don’t you come out with us tomorrow, me and the boys.”

“Potter, I would rath….”

“No, no,” said Harry. “Before you tell me that you would rather go out with Professor Slughorn just remember that if you don’t find someone soon, you might actually have too.”

Then, it was Severus time to snort into his Yorkshire brew. 

“Maybe,” started Harry. “Maybe love doesn’t come first for you, maybe it’s….”

“Lust,” supplied Severus. Harry rolled his eyes, for once looking annoyed at Severus’ mopey mood. 

“I was going to say tolerance and what better way to increase your tolerance of well, people in general then to throw you amongst the masses.”

“At the local watering hole?”

“At a pub, it is where a lot of people meet anyway.”

“What about you?” 

“Huh,” said Harry, distractedly. Severus sat up straighter. “Have you ever met anyone there?” 

“You know I haven’t,” the other man answered earnestly. 

“Ah, right, and if the great Harry Potter can’t find someone at this Mecca then why do you think I’ll be able to?”

“That’s not fair,” said Harry, thinking. “I mean, it’s not like I’ve been looking anyway, but you are, so, I think you should come.”

Severus didn’t ask Harry why he wasn’t looking, though he wanted to. He didn’t want to push or worse have Harry actually tell him what he was looking for, listing all the things he wasn’t. Good looking, friendly, popular. 

“Okay, then, have it your way, Potter.”

 

&&&

In school, Seamus Finnigan was nothing more than a short, harebrained Gryffindor, out of school and a few drinks in, Severus was finding him to be a truly captivating young man, or at least his ass was. It wasn’t Harry’s, but it was nice though, and he seemed interested in Snape. 

“Can I get yeh another, Professor?” 

“Yes, Mr. Finnigan, but only if you stop calling me Professor.”

“Do I have too?” Seamus fake pouted and it was unbelievably sexy, filling Severus’ mind with fantasy and wondering if Seamus still owned his school robes. Harry had stuck with him for the first little bit, reintroducing him to Seamus before he excused himself to the toilet. 

Seamus had automatically started plying Severus with drinks, but it had been nearly an hour and Harry had yet to come back. Severus had searched the room for him at ten minutes or so and saw his back and Granger’s bushy hair so he had just let it go and turned back to Seamus. If Harry didn’t’ want to spend time with him, so be it. It wasn’t like he was Severus’ soulmate anyway, no matter how much he wished otherwise. 

“Severus,” said Seamus, handing him the drink he just bought. 

“Thanks,” said Severus, inkling his head and looking Seamus over appreciatively. Severus had to admit that there was some sort of attraction there, and it seemed that Seamus seemed to feel it, too. They talked for a few minutes after that, Severus always having an ear out for Harry in case he decided to rejoin them. 

“So,” said Seamus leaning in. Severus could feel the other man’s breath on his ear as he leaned in and felt his cock stir. Yeah, he thought, maybe he could do this. Lead with lust then with love. Maybe then he would have a chance. 

“What do you say we get out of here?” 

Severus scanned the room for Harry one more time, but not finding him looked back at Seamus and shook his head, yes. 

Seamus’ face lit up brilliantly as he grabbed Severus’ hand, leading him to the door. Seamus led Severus through the throng when he felt a hand fall on his shoulder. 

“Going home?” Harry asked, his eyes going cross eyed. “Without me?” he asked, his eyes watering. 

“By Merlin, Potter, are you drunk?” 

“Me?” asked Harry, stumbling a little on the level ground. 

“I….I’m not such thing,” he started.

“Clearly,” said Seamus behind him. “Hey, Hermione…Harry needs you.”

“What?” asked Hermione, appearing behind Harry. 

“Oh,” she said, taking in his appearance. “Oh, Harry.”

“You’ll help him get home?” asked Seamus, seemingly freeing Severus from having to take care of his inebriated friend. 

“Thanks,” Seamus said again, once again pulling on Severus’ hand. 

“Wait,” Harry cried, launching himself onto Severus’ hand. 

“Please don’t go.”

“Harry,” said Severus conflicted. 

“Don’t worry about him Professor,” said Hermione. “I’ll take him home.” 

Severus watched Harry stumble again, falling back into Hermione’s arms. And just as Severus was about to turn to Seamus and tell him he better go without him, he heard a great thud and Harry Potter was on the floor. 

Severus apparated a passed out Harry Potter to his home, carried him up the stairs of his flat, and put the Chosen One to bed. When Severus returned to his own place, he suddenly felt zapped of his energy. A pain shot up his leg and he collapsed in his front hall. The curse was getting worse and he only had a couple of months left. 

&&&

Draco Malfoy was everything that a Slytherin was supposed to be. And he was everything a pureblood should be. The Slytherin was charming, cunning, and knew how to get what he wanted. And the pureblood had the standing, the speech, and the manners that had always attracted Severus. 

During his school days, Severus had yearned to shed himself of his father’s heritage and he admired those that were “purely” wizard. Maybe that’s why he found himself drawn to Draco. 

After the disaster that was following his “lust” with Seamus Finnigan, it was nice to follow something else. It was a good thing he hadn’t had sex with Seamus though his sexual frustration was at an all time high, it was nice that he waited. 

He was attracted to Draco both physically and intellectually. He had grown into his sharp features and the war had humbled him, only the way crisis can. They had gotten reacquainted at a chance meeting in Hogsmeade.   
Draco was visiting some old school friends while Severus was doing some shopping before he met with Minerva for tea. 

The pair set a date to catch up then after owling, Draco asked Severus for a proper date. Now, three dates in and going on their fourth, things were looking promising. But, he hadn’t yet told Harry. Rationally, Severus knew that Draco and Harry had grown up and that they were both adults now, but the irrational part of him could see Harry and Draco drawing wands. 

Severus was preparing for his and Draco’s next date when a knock came to the door. Thinking it was an early Draco, Severus opened the door only to find Harry Potter holding a bag of what looked like junk food and a six pack of Severus’ favorite brew. 

“Hey,” said Harry, eyes then drifting to Severus. “Wow, you look…” Harry searched for the words. “You look amazing,” the last word stretched out as Harry’s gaze roamed over Severus slowly. Severus ignored the shiver   
that threatened to go through him. 

“I…uh….” Severus stuttered, though he could count of one hand how many times he had done that in his whole life. 

“Got a hot date?” asked Harry with a smile as Severus unconsciously stepped out of the way for him to enter. 

“Yes, as a matter of fact, I do.”

“Oh,” Harry said, sounding slightly dejected. “Oh, I’m sorry then,” said Harry. “I just didn’t know you were actually seeing anyone.”

“It’s new,” Severus said quickly. Harry’s mood lifted at that. 

“First date?” he asked. 

“No,” said Severus. “It’s not our first.”

“Oh, what’s their name?” 

Severus stilled. 

“It’s, it’s Malfoy.”

Harry’s head whipped around so quick Severus thought he was going to snap his own neck. 

“Lucius Malfoy?” said Harry outraged. 

“No!” Severus exclaimed, equally as appalled. “Then who? I don’t know any other Malfoy, but…”

Realization hit.

“, but Draco… Severus tell me there’s no way you’re going out with Draco Malfoy?”

Severus had been prepared for the outrage and the anger on Harry’s face, but not the unabashed disgust. And more than that hurt Severus, it pissed him off. 

“Leave,” he demanded. Harry’s mouth fell open in surprise. “I know how you feel about Draco, but it’s no reason for you to act like this.”

“But, it’s Malfoy, Severus, you can do so much better than that slimy little….” 

“In case you haven’t noticed Potter, I can’t. I am ugly and cruel and no man has looked at me for years. The only reason anyone has agreed to go out with me thus far was because they were doing a favor for you, like Longbottom or George Weasley or because they had a kink for the whole student/teacher thing like Finnigan. No one, no one has even looked at me, Harry, in years and when they do its out of pity.”

“That’s not true,” Harry said so vehemently Severus could almost believe him, but he knew the truth. He knew what he was and while he had come to the conclusion that some people are just meant to be alone and that he was one of them. Until this stupid curse. 

It didn’t matter that when his hand shook he thought of Harry or when he collapsed in pain when he overexerted himself he thought of Harry or when he passed his lab, hoping that he could go in and work again that he thought of Harry because Harry did not love him. Harry didn’t see him, but maybe, just maybe Draco would. 

Severus and Draco walked that night along the street after their dinner. Draco was set to go on a business trip for a couple of weeks and Severus thought that this might be the night that he get to see what Draco’s skin looked like in the moonlight. He hadn’t spoken to Harry in weeks. He had burned his letters with a well cast incendio anytime they even got close and had blocked him from the Floo and the wards. He worked around his schedule and tried to forget that there was even such a man as Harry Potter. 

At the end of their walk, Draco stopped Severus. 

“I want to see you when I get back,” 

“That would be acceptable,” said Severus. 

“but before I go, I wanted to….”

Yes, Severus thought, anything to get his mind of Harry. Take me to bed, he thought, take me to bed and make me forget. He looked back to Draco trying to encourage the young man. 

“I wanted to tell you that I love you Severus,”

And Severus’ first thought was that the curse was broken. It was broken. It was broken. He was free. He kissed Draco like he never had before, more of a promise of what would come when Draco got back from his trip and the two parted amicably. At home, he could feel that Draco’s part of the bond was happy, he did really love Severus and the curse recognized that. No more dates with imbeciles like Longbottom and no more pity dates or over eager Irishmen. He was done, and he was loved. Finally. 

He had dreams that night of Draco and his father and mother, Dumbledore and Harry. He dreamt of being tortured under Voldemort’s particularly heady Cruciatus and feeling it. He dreamt of cruel laughter and Nagini’s fangs and when he woke up, he couldn’t move. His brain flickered form one thought to another, but the most prevalent thought was that the curse was lifted He couldn’t move so much as his neck, but his mind couldn’t help thinking on the events of last night . He was cured. Draco loved him. Draco loved him. 

Severus knew it, the curse knew it, but….did Severus love him?

How could he ever? Severus thought. How could he ever thought he loved anyone, but Harry. 

Severus knew that the curse wasn’t lifted because though Draco was everything that a Slytherin and a pureblood needed to be and despite the fact that at one point in time he would have been everything Severus had wanted, he wasn’t anymore. 

The curse wasn’t broken and Severus Snape was going to die because he loved Harry Potter and Harry Potter could never love him back. Thankfully, he only had to wait a few more days then, it would all be over. He’d never have to explain to Draco that he didn’t love him back, his dead body should be enough of a hint, but he didn’t know what to do about Harry. 

He wanted to apologize and to tell him that he still considered him a friend, that he still considered Harry as his best friend and how much he appreciated his concern, conversation and that he has enjoyed the time they have spent together. He wanted Harry to know the truth about that, at least, there was no way he would saddle him with the other thing. Severus refused to lay Harry with the knowledge of his affections and the guilt that Harry would carry at the revelation. What would it matter to him anyway that a dead man once loved him more than life itself. Severus hoped anyway that his gift of love could be given to Harry anyway, that all the love he wasn’t allowed to share in his life could be given to him in some blessing or good fortune after his death. It hurt to close his eyes now, but he did so anyway because that was the only place he could see him. 

&&&

Severus left all his wordly goods to be sold and given to St. Mungo’s except for Spinner’s End, he always thought Harry might want to live near the place his mother grew up. After some developments built up, it was nicer and worth more now than it ever had been in his youth. There was no one else he’d want to have it. 

It was his last day and reaching his last hour. His hearing was going dull and he was pretty sure he was now deaf in his left ear. It had been days since he had been able to make it up the stairs and two since he could walk to the kitchen. His magic failed him last night. His voice early the next morning. Then his hearing. He couldn’t move, couldn’t cast, and was sprawled out on his living room floor and no one had come to see him. His father was right, he was as alone in death as he had been in life. And yet his every thought was Harry. 

How he hoped he would live and settle down with someone patient and kind, someone who would love him just a fraction of how Severus loved him because that would protect Harry forever. 

Severus knew it was a bad idea to close his eyes, but he did anyway. Closed his eyes and saw Harry, smiling and laughing and looking so, so very happy. So, with a sigh Severus kept his closed. 

&&&

Severus didn’t hear the door burst open with a bombarda, his wards having weakened considerably when he had passed out. He didn’t see the match to his partonus gliding out of the door sending for help and he didn’t feel the pull of apparition as strong arms held him and got him to St. Mungo’s. He didn’t hear Harry’s words and declarations of love, and excuses. He didn’t hear those three words come from Harry’s mouth over and over again, desperate and lost, but the curse did. 

“Severus!” Harry called when the bed ridden man opened his eyes. The young man looked broken, eyes rimmed red and bloodshot, cheeks tearstained, clothes old and dirty like he hadn’t washed them or himself in days. 

“What?” said Harry. “What about Draco?” Severus shook his head and was relieved to find he could move his neck. 

He tried to speak, but found his mouth to dry. 

“Here,” Harry offered. “Take some water.” Harry lifted a glass to Severus’ lips and he felt much better. 

“He came back you know,” said Harry. “Draco, he came back, saw you, told me good luck then walked away. It was the nicest Malfoy’s ever been to me.”

Severus looked away, part of him grateful that he didn’t have to explain to Draco, then, looking at Harry, he knew that he owed him an explanation. 

But just when he went to speak, Harry started. 

“Why didn’t you tell me? Severus, I thought he was in love with you. You let me believe that he was in love with you.” 

“He is,” Severus said. 

“Then…I… I don’t understand.” 

Severus sighed. 

“Draco does love me, but I….I don’t love him. I couldn’t. I tried, but I couldn’t.”

Harry looked confused. 

“I can’t love him because I am in love with someone else.” 

Harry looked crestfallen and Severus thought, maybe he had cause to hope. 

“I’ve been in love with you for ages, Harry.”

And Harry looked at Severus like he couldn’t believe that he was getting to hear this. 

“Me?”

“Yes,” said Severus, taking Harry’s outstretched hand. “I’m assuming that is the only reason that I am alive at this very moment, and I can only hope, that it is because you love me back.”

“Yes, yes,” said Harry, leaning down to kiss him. “Yes, I just never assumed that you could ever love me, and when you didn’t ask me out even after the curse, I just assumed that it would never happen.”

“Oh, Harry, I just didn’t believe that you could ever want me. I never thought that I could be good enough for you, or that you would ever….”

“See you?” asked Harry. “Severus, I’ve always seen you, and I want to be here with you, forever.”

“Harry, I haven’t changed. I am still cruel at times and impossible, but I love you and I will not ever hurt you or leave you. I will give you all of me for as long as I am able.”

Harry kissed him again. 

“That’s all I’ve ever wanted. Now, aren’t you glad you didn’t sleep with Neville?”

Severus laughed. 

“Now, Potter, you know there was absolutely no chance of that, and I didn’t, with Draco, either,” Severus knew that he didn’t have to say it, but he was happy to see the way Harry’s face lit up at that news, and Severus was happy that the great Harry Potter did love him after all.


End file.
